Verse 43: “They took up the tabernacle of Moloch and the star of your god Rephan, and the images which you made, to worship them: I will carry you away, beyond Babylon.”

Moloch: This is a pagan god who the children of Israel sacrificed, burnt, their infants to. When we move away from God, embracing what we think is right, we are on a journey to do unthinkable, unspeakable, things that we would never imagine we would do.

To worship them: Everybody worships. The question is: Who? God or satan.

Beyond Babylon: God changed their location and allowed them to go into exile. Stephen is giving a hint here to a prophetic reality. God sent the children of Israel into exile when they, not understanding the truth Moses, God’s appointed leader, taught them, fell into
idolatry. Likewise, rejecting Yeshua, as Saviour and Messiah, Stephen was telling the Sanhedrin that they too could expect to go into exile.

Verse 44: “And the tabernacle of testimony was to our fathers in the wilderness, just as the One speaking to Moses commanded him to build, according to the image which he saw.”

The tabernacle of testimony: The tabernacle in the wilderness was a pattern for what later became the temple in Jerusalem – both modelled on what Moses had seen up above (in heaven).

The image which he saw: Hebrews 8v5

Verse 45: “Which also our fathers, that came after, entered in and received with Joshua a possession of the nations, whom God cast out from before our fathers until the days of David.”

Joshua: It is the same name as Yeshua, which means salvation. Joshua, a paradigm for Yeshua, acted in a way to cause those who were following him to take possession of what God had promised.

He cast out: God cast the nations out.

The days of David: Whenever we talk about David it is also a reference to the son of David or Messiah. David is a Messianic indicator.

Verse 46: “He (David) found grace before God and sought to find the Tabernacle unto the God of Jacob.”

Sought to find the Tabernacle: Jacob (being a patriarch) is associated with promise. This tabernacle, for the God of Jacob, is a reference to reward – the reward of worship (worshipping God in the Land of Israel, in the future paradigm this is worship in the Kingdom of God).

Verse 47: “But Solomon built to Him a house.”

Verse 48: “But the Most High does not dwell in a sanctuary made by hands, just as the Prophet says:”

Verse 49: “The heaven is my throne, and the land is a footstool for my feet. What is the house that you can build for Me says the L-rd? Or what is the place of My rest?”

This is a quote taken from the book of Isaiah 66v1.

Rest: Rest is a reference to Kingdom. The first pattern of the Kingdom was Jerusalem, of which there will be a fulfilment in the Millennial Kingdom. However, these are not the final expression of God. There is going to be something even greater when God enters into His final rest with His people. Rest has nothing to do with being tired. Rest is related to a gift, intimacy, and fellowship.

Verse 50: “Was it not My hand that made all of these?”

Quoted from Isaiah 66v2

The one who is going to make the dwelling place for God, that is the New Jerusalem, is God Himself. Stephan wants to tie Messiah Yeshua to this full Kingdom experience.

Verse 51: “Stiff-necked, and uncircumcised of heart and ear, you always rebel against the Holy Spirit. As your fathers, also you”

Stiff-necked: Not humble. Unwillingness to bow and show exaltation (praise, worship) to God.

Rebel against the Holy Spirit: Rebel against God’s order. There is a constant tendency among humanity to be stif-necked and uncircumcised in heart – meaning we tend not to walk in the Spirit, but tend to walk in the flesh.